A few days ago I talked to you about the arduous theme of children's birthdays, focusing on the theme of long-awaited or feared party invitations. But I don't want to put aside another issue that worries me about it, and that is the gifts on children's birthdays and how they multiply excessively.
If in the previous post I talked about the magical multiplication of guests and food for the children's party (which miracle of the loaves and fishes), as for the gifts the same happens, however much you want to control it.
As much as you say you don't want anything (well, your daughter doesn't want anything, because she doesn't need anything, because she has everything and all she wants is to have fun with her friends), in the end there are always too many gifts.
Too many gifts for an apartment, too many gifts for a girl, too many gifts for the environment and too many gifts for the economy in crisis.
When you realize that your daughter wants to celebrate a birthday without gifts (That was a "condition" of ours, more as a warning or reasoning than as something else and that went unnoticed for her, that is, she did not flinch or ask for the opposite at any time), you see how unnecessary those present are.
And more later, when in the middle of the party and with the inevitable parade of gifts you even want to quickly pass the moment of "delivery", as if opening the gifts was a process that could have been skipped at your party, because you want to continue playing with your friends how much before.
You even realize that the odd gift of the received "in avalanche" (as can happen at Christmas) is forgotten and probably not ask for it until we remember it in summer, when we give it to you because we have "rationed" it and we think that you will enjoy it more.
The best gift: the company, the games, the laughter of the guests
When you realize all that, and you also know what is falling in the savings of families, you feel like beg anyone to bring a gift, or that they bring their toys or stories that they want to share for a while and can be enjoyed in company, or that they do some congratulation crafts… Without gifts, really. How strange is it?
An intermediate option is that the guests join together to make a joint gift, but that is not always possible (because they do not know each other ...) and several groups are usually made, in addition to the fact that there are also those who make their individual gift to suggest what you suggest.
After all, we are not going to force anyone and I really don't know what they will think when you insist that really, no gift needed. Nor is it that I care much what they think on this issue that we have so clear, and family and friends already know us, but you also have to think about people with whom you don't have too much confidence (usually happens if it is the child who chooses your guests) like to say "no!"
And tell them that we just want the girl to enjoy with her friends, her games, her careers, her hiding places, her special cake, her pomperos ... without expecting anything in return, I know it is the best gift for her. Birthday parties can be unforgettable without spending a lot of money, or those who invite (there are cuts for everyone) or guests.
A child is happy with very little (or much as you look at it): the company of your family and your friends at a fun party where they share laughs and games. How much should be spent on that? Don't we overdo it when we think that the best is the most expensive?
Looking forward to next birthdays, I am considering that instead of saying that gifts are not needed, I could ask for clothes, because since in the end there will be a surprise yes or yes, that it is something necessary and really profitable. Although the clothing can also be dangerous if we take into account certain tastes somewhat away from ours ...
And you, have you got a birthday without gifts from the guests? Do you think a birthday is not a birthday if there are no gifts?
